The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Rivers State Branch, has urged Governor Siminalayi Fubara to recruit more healthcare workers to support the state’s growing investment in health infrastructure and improve service delivery.
The association’s chairperson, Dr Ureh Oparaodu, made the call in Port Harcourt during activities marking the 2026 Physicians’ Week.
Oparaodu commended the governor for his support for the health sector, improved doctors’ salaries and expansion of healthcare facilities, but stressed that adequate staffing was necessary to maximise the benefits of these investments.
She said the establishment of additional health centres, including the zonal hospital in Omoku, would improve access to healthcare, particularly secondary medical services for residents of the Orashi region.
However, she emphasised that more doctors, nurses and other essential healthcare professionals were needed to ensure the facilities function effectively.
Oparaodu also said improved remuneration had made the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital more attractive to doctors, including medical professionals from other states.
Although she could not provide exact figures to show whether the salary increase had reduced doctors’ migration from Rivers State, she confirmed that the improved pay was attracting interest from medical practitioners seeking employment at the teaching hospital.
On the challenge of medical quackery, the NMA chairperson said the association’s anti-quackery committee works with the Rivers State Ministry of Health to investigate suspected cases and verify the qualifications of practitioners following public complaints.
She acknowledged that unqualified practitioners remained a concern, noting that members of the public might struggle to distinguish qualified doctors from quacks. She therefore stressed the importance of public education and reporting suspicious medical practices.
Oparaodu also highlighted broader concerns affecting medical practice in Nigeria, including doctors’ welfare, burnout, workplace safety and migration.
She called on medical professionals to prioritise their well-being and urged the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence, telemedicine and other digital health technologies while safeguarding patient confidentiality and professional ethics.
As part of the Physicians’ Week activities, the association plans to teach primary school pupils basic life-support skills, provide free medical and surgical services, and organise training and mentoring programmes for young doctors in Rivers State.
